READING TEXTS

WEEK 1

Topic: E-Learning

Before you begin your course, we'd like you to read three
short texts about e-learning.
Teaching and learning is essentially a form of
communication. So first, we'll look at what the technology
involved in e-learning is, and how it supports different
forms of communication in an online classroom.
We'll then look at the approaches that both underlie elearning and determine the uses we make of technology
so as to be able to reflect on the implications of these new
learning tools.

Estimated Study Time:

2 hours (maximum)

READING TEXT 1
The Technology of E-Learning

In this text:
What are the different forms of electronic communication?
How far do they support interaction between tutors & learners, and
learners and learners?
Which forms will be most important for you as e-learners and etutors?

1 - Forms of Electronic Communication

Online Learning is often used interchangeably with the term Open

or Distance Learning (ODL).
By Open Learning, we mean there is some degree of flexibility
concerning the leading organizational questions:
Who can study?
What do they study?
Where do they study?
When do they study? How do they study?
By Distance Learning, we mean some degree of separation in
space (where) and time (when) between teacher and learner.
It is clear that there will be variations in the models of ODL
different courses have (strong and weak versions, if you like).
From an e-tutoring viewpoint, the questions of most interest and
relevance are when, where and - crucially - how.
Nowadays CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) is used
extensively to support traditional face-to-face classroom learning
(think of emails, web pages, etc.). It is also true that much elearning takes place in some kind of ODL context.
There are 2 diagrams in this section, in which we try to classify the
technology involved in E-Learning (and indicate how it is used). As
you look at the figures, do so with this question in mind:
Which mode of electronic communication will be most
important to me as an e-learner?

Figure 1
Forms of Electronic Communication in Traditional and Virtual
Classrooms.
Mode of
Face-to-Face
Communication
One-to-one
Conversation
Individual
Tutorial
One-to-many
Lecture

Electronic
Electronic
Synchronous Asynchronous
Online chat
E-mail
Telephone

Streaming
Audio or
Video
Many-to-many
Role Play
Video
Debate
Conferencing
Discussion
Audio
Mixers
Conferencing
Tasks
Chat room
(Adapted from Maier & Warren, 2000)

E-mail
Conference
Forum
Discussion List
Newsgroup

Figure 2
Interaction
* F2F
* computer
conferencing

*video conferencing
Net-based Learning
* Audio conferencing

*Radio
*TV
*Correspondence
Independence of time and distance

READING TEXT 2
Models of Learning and E-Learning

In this text:

What educational theory underlies e-learning?

How are these principles reflected in the
responsibilities of e-learners?

roles

and

2 - Philosophical Principles 0f E-Learning

It is important to emphasize that CMC and the new technologies ICT - are not in themselves a new approach to teaching and
learning, although you might be misled into thinking so if you
believe some of what you read.
While new communication technologies have the potential to change
the way we go about teaching and learning, a principled
pedagogical approach to using them is required. In other words, it's
not the technology that comes first, its pedagogy and a
theoretical framework.
******************************************************
Stop & Think
Look at the following quotation, and decide what key issues you
think it suggests about the theory and practice of E-Learning.
Extract 1: The dominant issue in education today is not access to
information. In fact, making sense of the quantity and quality of
material they are exposed to is a serious challenge for students.
Because of this information explosion, and the accompanying
advances in communications, new approaches are required. The
goal is to give students the abilities and strategies required to
manage this over-whelming breadth and depth of information. In
working towards this goal, educators began to realize that the only
long-term solution was to construct an educational environment in
which students would not only learn, but where they would learn to
learn. The focus of education is shifting to the development of
critical thinking and self-directed learning abilities that can serve
the individual over a lifetime.
(Garrison & Anderson, 2003: 11, 12)

Now read the following text. It refers to a number of important

terms which capture the approach to e-teaching and e-learning.
Choose what you feel is the appropriate word or phrase from those
in italics to complete the gaps in the text.
construction
learner training
interaction
collaborative
dialogue
constructivist
collaboratively
continuity
transmission
responsibility & control

For a number of years now, ELT methodology has evidenced a

greater concern with questions of HOW people learn and not just
with WHAT is learned. (1)____________ has now become a
familiar item in our professional vocabulary. Instead of handing over
knowledge, teachers are asked to spend more time handing over or
helping learners to develop the tools for acquiring this knowledge
and any future kinds of knowledge and skill.
We can place this changing emphasis in ELT in a wider educational
context, with special reference to one of the most influential
approaches underlying e-learning. In crude terms, we can talk
about the shift from a (2) ________ model of learning to a (3)
_________ model. It embodies the recognition that Teaching
Learning (teaching does not equal learning).
Learners come to classrooms with their own ideas and experiences,
and they will inevitably use them to interpret and construct their
own version of the knowledge and skills in question, and their own
theories-in-use. This will be even truer in an e-learning context,
where so much more (4) _____________ rests with the learner.
Providing information is only the first step in the teaching-learning
experience; the second is to construct meaning and knowledge, and
the main way of doing this is through (5) _________, with
materials and information, with other learners, and with the
teacher. Such a (6) ___________is at the heart of this model of
education and its new e-learning environment, and it implies a more
(7) ________ approach to learning, with different roles for teacher
and learner in developing effective communicative processes.
Two related points to note about this 'new' educational theory or
paradigm are that it isn't in fact new, and neither is the implied role
of the teacher in it. It is, rather, a return to earlier ideas about
what learning involves, and the roles that teachers play. This desire
to return to earlier and perhaps better times - call it retro, romantic,

or plain unrealistic - is a familiar movement in areas of social and

economic life outside education.
The educational philosopher John Dewey put forward his (8)
________ view of education in 1938. It stemmed from his belief
that society and the individual cannot exist separately, and that
education is the interplay between personal interests and
experience and social values, norms and knowledge.
Dewey put forward two main principles of education: One is
interaction, which brings the personal and the social together, as
reflected in the interaction or transaction between learner and
teacher. Through interaction, ideas are communicated and shared,
and knowledge is constructed and confirmed. This perspective
implies recognising a dual purpose for any educational experience:
The first is to construct (reconstruct and reinterpret experience
through new input) from a personal perspective, and the second is
to refine and confirm this understanding (9) ________ within a
learning group, network or community. A second, related principle
for Dewey was the notion of (10)____________: Knowledge will in
turn provide a basis for future learning by creating the capacity to
learn in learners.
(To check your answers, scroll to the end of the document.)

READING TEXT 3
Features of Online Teaching and Learning
Clearly, self-directed and constructivist learning suggest more
control and responsibility on the part of the learner, and more of
a facilitative role for the teacher. What does this mean in an
online environment?
Networked computers can be the vehicles for learning and
interaction, but education and training of whatever kind have goals
and a purpose. Learners need help in learning how to learn and in
setting goals, and they need someone to design and structure
their learning.
In this text, we ask you to look a little closer at what happens
online, and to start thinking about notable features of this
form of teaching and learning - and how they might relate to the
collaborative-constructivist approach outlined in this section.
1. Read the following description of a week in the life of an
e-learner.
As you read, think about two points of
comparison:

What are the main differences for teachers and learners in this
way of working?
To what extent do e-learning and e-technology embody the
principles of a constructivist model of education?

A Day in the Week

(drawing on Maier & Warren, 2000: 100, 101; Salmon, 2000: 4-7)

1. The e-learner
Pilar is an in-service teacher doing a BA in ELT. Every two
weekends she travels about 30 km, to attend classes at her
university. The rest of the time, the course is conducted online in
the Virtual Tutorial (VT, as its called). She usually takes part in
this three or four times a week, but a lot depends on how tired
she is when she gets home from work, or how busy her
weekends are. She uses her home PC, modem and internet
connection to access the VT (the phone bill is quite a lot per
week, but compares favourably with her travel costs to campus).
Once she has used her username and password to access the VT,

she reads all the new messages that have been posted to the
Methodology Forum since her last visit. VT doesnt have external
e-mail with notification of new messages or conference postings.
There are 25 people in her class, which means that there can be
40-50 messages to look at. But sometimes very few people log
in, and she feels a bit alone and frustrated when nobody has
written. Most messages are short, and dont take long to read,
but online is no different from the classroom, and some people
like to talk a lot!
Some discussions and tasks require quite lengthy postings, and it
can be hard to follow topics and themes. This week she is a
member of a project group doing a small piece of actionresearch, using classroom observation, and so she copies and
pastes project messages to her word-processor for later review.
There is also an ongoing discussion forum on the next BA
assignment, which the tutor has set up. She posts a couple of
reply
messages
and
suggestions
to
this.
She then disconnects, to save her phone bill while she reads
project messages. They have to present their findings for
discussion by the end of the week for the rest of her class to
comment. She finally reconnects to the VT and copies and pastes
her responses into new messages to her project group. Another
five messages have been posted during the evening - one of
them is from a tutor, saying that next weekend theyll be
meeting later than normal for the class. This means she can
spend the morning catching up on reading, and looking at the
tutors comments on her own and other draft assignment outlines
that were posted to VT.
2. Can you add anything to the following table?
Teaching
learning

&

It can be done any time, any place and does not

require either teacher or learner to travel to a
certain place.
An online class or conference lasts 1 week or 1
month, rather than 1 hour.
Text-based conferencing is written conversation 'like talking with your fingers'.
Asynchronous conferencing and the time for
reflection involved has the potential for more
quality interaction and construction of knowledge.
The greater flexibility of online interaction in terms
of when, where, who and how can lead to more
equal and collaborative relationships between

Potential
for
supporting
collaboration
and interaction

Possible
problems

teacher and learners.

Asynchronous conferencing and the time for
reflection involved has the potential for more
quality interaction and construction of knowledge.
The greater flexibility of online interaction in terms
of when, where, who and how can lead to more
equal and collaborative relationships between
teacher and learners
No visual context or information to messages, and
so a possible feeling that the human touch is
absent, and difficulties in building relationships.
Misunderstandings can arise about the meaning of
a message in the absence of visual clues,
intonation, and the possibility of instant
clarification.
The public nature of the messages to a conference
can stop participation both from learners and
tutors.

Commentary
Reading Text 1 (Answers)

Which mode of electronic communication will be most

important to me as an e-learner?

A lot depends on the sort of distance-course model you are working

with. If the emphasis is on materials packages rather than on
support for them online, then print will be the most important
medium for communication. But if the emphasis is on online
interaction, and the main sources of materials are the learners and
tutor, then we can perhaps identify TWO main forms of electronic
communication that will be central to an e-tutor's work:
e-mail
computer conferencing (electronic forums or bulletin boards)
Most learning will take place as part of the conference discussion
group, but you will also find there is a lot of one-on-one contact
with learners through e-mail. And if you analyse the subject matter
of a significant percentage of these e-mails, you may need to add
another crucial factor to the teaching/facilitating and organising
functions we have noted: The social aspect of e-learning
(welcoming, building
relationships,
encouraging, consoling,
supporting and advising). This is even more important online than
in face-to-face classrooms, and much of this social role is played out
through e-mail.

Reading Text 2 (Answers)

(1) learner training, (2) transmission, (3) construction,
(4) responsibility, (5) interaction, (6) dialogue, (7) collaborative,
(8) collaborative constructivist, (9) collaboratively, (10) continuity
Reading Text 3 (Answers)
One thing that may have struck you about e-learning is that its
unique qualities are both possible benefits and drawbacks. We are
not trying to be comprehensive below. If you have other ideas,
that's fine. You may even want to share them with us online!
Differences
in e-teaching
& learning

It can be done any time, any place and does not

require either teacher or learner to travel to a certain
place

Potential for
supporting
collaboration
and
interaction

Possible
problems

An online class or conference lasts 1 week or 1

month rather than 1 hour
Text-based conferencing is written conversation 'like talking with your fingers'
There is no turn-taking system or control over who
speaks or when - anyone can ask a question
Asynchronous conferencing and the associated
technology allows a number of different topics or
classes to run at the same time - for example, a
conference on a language learning or skill activity, a
conference on learning strategies and skills related
to it, a problems conference, a further questions
conference, a quiz/test preparation conference, and
so on
It is less 'intrusive' - learners and tutors can choose
when to log on, when to read messages, and when if at all to contribute
Asynchronous conferencing and the time for
reflection involved has the potential for more quality
interaction and construction of knowledge
The greater flexibility of online interaction in terms of
when, where, who and how can lead to more equal
and collaborative relationships between teacher and
learners
The absence of visual context can make for less
discrimination, encourage people to be themselves,
lead to more participation by shy learners
Text-based conferencing allows tutors and learners
to 'rewind' the conversation and pick out key points
or make different links and connections. Good for
giving praise and constructive criticism.
Learners as well as teachers can set up and run
conferences/lessons
No visual context or information to messages and so
a possible feeling that the human touch is absent,
and difficulties in building relationships
Misunderstandings can arise about the meaning of a
message in the absence of visual clues, intonation,
and the possibility of instant clarification
The public nature of the messages to a conference
can deter participation both from learners and tutors
Without careful management by the e-tutor,
messages and the information load in conferences
can be overwhelming and discourage participation
E-learners are not able to access conferences on a

regular basis or for sufficient time and tutors can't

control participation in the way they do in a
classroom.
E-tutor and e-learner may not have the
organisational or time management skills needed to
make best use of what conferences can offer
There is a high demand on the time, and moderating
and summarising skills of the tutor, and on the time
and reading and writing skills of learners in this new
medium.

Bibliography:
Garrison & Anderson (2003) - chs 1 & 2, pp 1-21
Maier and Warren (2000) ch 4
Salmon (2000) ch 1, pp 3-21

Adapted from (2009) LAC Regional Tutoring Certificate. British

Council Mexico